When I interviewed Trotter last January, he said then he'd never been to Japan, which I found especially shocking since I thought he must have been inspired by experiencing some exquisite kaiseki cuisine.

Maroni told me the Gaztro-Wagon truck will roll again—but not until Spring, with the MörSo team behind the wheel. (More on my interview with Maroni in an upcoming food truck series coming soon.)

one sixtyblue will also re-open in the "late Spring"—and the Michael Jordan's Steak House on Michigan Avenue in the InterContinental seems to be going strong.

I stopped by the MJSH grand opening party a few months ago and have to admit: I called my parents from the event—much to their excitement too. It's Jordan, it's steak: it's Chicago. We're proud of our stockyardpalate.

Crust owner Michael Altenberg still owns Bistro Campagne, in Lincoln Square, open since 2002—that's 10 years.

And then there's EL, Foss' "micro restaurant" serving breathtakingly beautiful dishes in an engaging setting. If he'd opened in an equally bleak arrondissement in Paris, instead of the Near Southwest Side of Chicago, he'd be the toast of the international food press. The relatively underground network of Serious International Fine Diners, though, are finding their way into his tiny dining room and spreading the word. (More on Foss in the food truck series too.)